Calvin Chang

2011 Graduate, JD

From Badge to Bar: 20-Year Police Veteran Protects and Serves in a Rewarding New Way

The idea of becoming an attorney always lurked at the back of Calvin Chang’s mind, even as he earned his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of California at Davis and a master’s degree in criminal justice from Boston University. Calvin spent a few years as a state legislative staffer, then serving as a police officer for two decades.

But when he faced some personal workplace discrimination first-hand, it was the final push he needed to launch his legal education, which he completed at Concord Law School in 2011. Calvin went on to sit for and pass the California State Bar Exam.* Today, he has his own law practice in Sacramento, California.

Night Shifts and Law Degrees

His full-time, night shift schedule demanded more flexibility than traditional law schools could offer. “The online program, the lectures that I was able to watch on my own time, the archived classes—those things I could not have done in a traditional brick and mortar school.”

Specialized Rewards

Calvin was also able to focus on the practice area he most wanted to pursue. ”The specialty employment discrimination course was actually taught by one of the leading professors in employment discrimination. Concord also blended that in with an advocacy program. So we had, for example, to do research on the subject matter track that I chose. The evidence course was taught with respect to employment discrimination. So when I became an attorney, I had already experienced, not only in the academics of, for example, evidence, but in how to apply it to that type of a case.”

Rare Camaraderie

Calvin also credits the more collaborative student atmosphere in helping him to open new doors, compared to traditional law schools. “At Concord Law School it’s not as competitive between the students—it’s a close knit community. And once I graduated, I was able to meet up with other Concord graduates, attorneys, and I now actually co-counsel cases with other Concord graduates.”

His Advice for Others Considering Concord

“I would recommend it if you are serious and are willing to be responsible and understand that law school is a significant endeavor. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort necessary, Concord has everything for you to achieve to pass the bar exam.”

*Study at, or graduation from, this law school may not qualify a student to take the bar examination or to satisfy the requirements for admission to practice in jurisdictions other than California. A student intending to seek admission to practice law in a jurisdiction other than California should contact the admitting authority in that jurisdiction for information regarding the legal education requirements in that jurisdiction for admission to the practice of law.